Profile:
Very Casual TV viewer, 80% TV/20% DVD. Comcast regular cable.

Needs:
I want a TV in $2500 range that'll give me good PQ with regular cable signal and DVD movies. I first thought I'd stretch and get 60" Sony XBR Grand Wega (see another thread) but it's too heavy and I don't want to spend that much $ now knowing that TV prices will keep plummeting.

So I started researching plasmas and Panasonic TH-42PWD7UY seems to be regarded as 1 of the best plasmas for the money that'll serve me well for the next 4-5 years.

My questions:

1. I'll be putting this TV on my billybags a/v stand, and will connect my comcast regular cable signal, a new HT system, DVD player, VHS, and xbox. Does this panel have all necessary input jacks for them?

2. What are the best bet online retailers? so far i've found visualapex, pc connection.com and dtv city. i really dont wanna deal w/ shady scammers to save a few pennies. any particualr ones to AVOID?


thx!

 

for your price point you want the samsung 50inch DLP ....plazma in your pricerange will only last a couple years

GL

Justin

 

YOu couldn't be any further from the truth... I suggest you read up on AVSForums. Plasma life is more into the 8-10 yr mark.

ProV1... Do you want Plasma/lcd/dlp for the form factor or cause it's the latest thing? Reason I ask is because for the type of viewing you're doing, an RPTV can be had for significantly less with a MUCH better PQ than a DLP.

Hitachi's make some excellent RPTVs that can be had with built in tuners @ $1800. Just a thought.

But if you do want to go nextgen...skip the DLPs and stick with a plasma. Panny's are tops in terms of value for $$$s.

Also...check in to a Sears store...believe it or not, they have an extensive HD lineup and offer extremely competitive offers...they'll also pricematch the net plus 10% of difference. I bought my Hitachi there and got the top of the line for $400 CHEAPER than anywhere online.

 

i gotta agree with at least checking sears ... they're kind of the "forgotten" store when it comes to electronics, but they actually have come thru for me one more than one occasion when what i was looking for was out of stock elsewhere, and their prices are usually as good or better. not to mention they have pretty good customer service and if you need delivery, their delivery prices are very reasonable.

good luck w/the new tv search!

 

TV's are like computers, as the newer models come out, they plummet like the U.S. economy in the early 2000's. I bought a big screen for $2500 a little over three years ago, now it is lucky to be worth $800-1000 (if new).

 

hey guys thx for the sears store tip. i went to a local sears, but they wont match online prices, just prices from other local retailers

however their prices are still decent. $2850 for the panny 25U/P, although i just missed the 10% storewide sale last saturday. hopefully there'll be one again soon, so that's $2850-10% off = not bad at all.

 

Honestly I've looked at a lot of HD sets lately and I haven't been impressed at all with the picture quality. I know there are some nice plasmas out there, but you've gotta fork over 20k to get anything decent in plasma. The sets at Circuit City, etc arent worth it. If you are gonna go HD, get a DLP--I think right now for the price they are the best option. My dad just got a 55' LG DLP for 3500 I think--awesome picture.

If you are willing to pay 20k for HD, you might as well get a HD projector--they are the best quality.

 

ProV1,

It sounds like you've done your homework. Dont let the others talk you out of the plasma, and stick to your choice of the Panasonic TH-42PWD7UY. Visual Apex is a very reputable etailer tho i used Plasma Concepts when i purchased mine. Both are highly recommended by me and others. When it arrives and you set it up use the setting you find in this thread at AVS.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....threadid=408201

It sounds like this setup is what you should go with...
http://www.visualapex.com/avs/AVS_Details....PWD7UY_TY-ST05K

 

Just a hint of advice, dont buy Samsung electronics, ESPECIALLY anything with a screen in it.

You pay cheap, you get cheap.

Panasonic, Sony, Philips, Pioneer, etc are great. DO NOT BUY KOREAN ELECTRONICS of this price range.

 

davepk, the supposedly TV "expert" friends of mine told me today that TV prices will plummet within the next 5 months, by more than 40%, and they were citing NYT and WSJ articles??? (i dont read em)

is this true or are they bs'ing me?? i do understand TV prices will always keep going down like computers but they said this is a biga$$ >50% drop b/c of some introduction of new tech???